Incandescent-lamp socket.



@I D. PLAN; NCMIDESUENT LAMP SGKET.

PPLIATIOE FILED DEO. 20, 1910.

Pam-,ed Nov. 2,1, 1911.

2 SHEETS-BREST 2.

Wim/58855 CLARNCIQ). PLATT, or BRIDGPCRT, CONNECTICUT.

incANDEsCENT-LAMP SOCKET.

Speciction of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 191:

Application filed December 20, 1910. Serial No. 598,423.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CLARENCE D. PLATT, a citizen of the United States, and a. resi dent of Bridgeport, in the countl'vof Fairfield and State of' Connecticugliave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incandescent-Lamp Socketsf"l of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, whereby-any one skilled in the art may make and use the saine.

The invention relates to incandescent lamp sockets and more particularly to the type of socket, knownl as pull ,sockets in* asmuch as the switch which' makes and breaks the circuit for the lamp/or other device4 is operated by a pull cord or chain in zontra-distinetion to being operated by a rey.

The objects of the invention are, generally stated, to provide an improved construction, of details.

`The principal object is to provide a com- "nednactuating and circuit making and thc-invention 'l"ig. 2 is a to breakingmiechanism, reducing the number of parts ordinarily employedin such devices.

A still further objectis to provide for more perfect'insulation ot' the parts and to so arrange the various elements that there is little or no liability of shot circuiting or inaccuracy in the automatic act-ion of the mechanism.

Pnl-lsoekets are nel' new in the art, but in so faras-.knownfto applicant, such switches embodya contacting device having a make and break action with a step by Step actuator, which actuator is controlled by a pull cord or chain and has a ratchet and pawl arrangen'ient for effecting the make and break movements 'of the contact members. Applicant has codlesced, into a single structure, the mechanisimin which the make and break de 'ice is the ratchet. These ratchet teeth are, ireetly actuated by the actuator, which is/a/djustable fox/.definite movements. g

Refer-rinato the 'drawingsz Figure 1 is a-vicw in elevation of a soclfyt embodying eplan view of,l th"b`ody of the socket wy'th the shell r moved, illustrating the pxlition of the pdfl cord or'chain guide. Fig. 3 is a vie in elevation of the body oi the socket an appurtenant parts illustrated vin plan `in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partial. sectional vie with parts broken away, on enlarged scza/Yshowing the body of the socket \vith the appu:

tenant parts. Fig. 5 is a plan view of tl parts shown in Fig. 4, with the upper i1 sulating member removed and the chai guide cut in horizontal section, the part being' in 'normal closed circuit positioi Fig. G is a similar view illustrating the a( tuator moved andv about to place the part in openvcircuit position. F ig. 7 is a pla: view in enlarged scale of the lower insulat ing member and appartenantcontact mem bers, the contacting posts being shown i1 section. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of tht upper insulating member, which coperate: with the lower member illustrated in Fig. 7 to provide complete insulation for the parts Fig. 9 is a det-ail sectional view through thf make and break ratchet, illustrating the method of attaching the contacting and conducting members. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the various parts of the make and break member, its actuator and adjusting. member shown in unassembled position. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view through the chain guide and supporting post. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of said chain guide and supporting post. Fig. 13 is a side elevation illustrating the insulating members and actuator together forming a chain guide.

Referring to the drawings 1, denotes a shell and 2, the capof the socket. casing. Through the shell l, extends the chain guide 3, depending from which is a chain or pull cord 4, for actuating the switch mechanism; lVithin the casing, there is arranged a socket body having a lower insulating -section 5, and an upper insulating section 6. To'the lower sect-ion is secured a threaded sleeve contact 7, and a central contact member 8. The centralv contact 8, is connected to a c0nducting post 10, provided with a suitable wire attachin device 12. The threaded sleeve4 contact g?, is connected with and dis; connected from 4a conducting post 9, provided Wit'h-...wire attaching means 11, depen ent upon the position of the switch 'mg ber. The conducting posts 10, and 11, frm not only insulated conductors, but-act members 5, and 6. y

Referring to Fig. 7, the lower insulator 5, is provided with recesses 13, 14, Within which the foot port-ions 15, 16, of the con- /as binding supports between the insulating:

ducting posts 9, and 10, rest and are secured I by suitable screws. -There is also a recess 17 within which may be inserted the foot-piece '20. The posts 9, an

- 18, of the chainguide 3'. Extending upl wardly from 'the base, adjacentto the post 9, there is an insulating pillar 19, and similarly 'extending from the base adjacent to" 5 the'post l0, .there is an insulating-pillar 20. The upper insulating member 6, is likewise Cproyidedwith recesses 21, `.22,- to receiv'ethe headportions of the conducting'posts 9, and. 10, respectively. There is al'soa recess 23,

10 -to receive the head portion 24, of. the chain guide. There.' is a dependentv insulating skirt 25,.which, when. the upper piece 6, is

A* in placewith reference to the. lower piece 5,

' r. com letely incases the' section between the 1.5 con ucting post 9, and the conducting'post 10,- and this dependent'skirt, in conjunction .with the raised insulating portions 19, and

f p20, form a complete 'insulating inclosure for the conducting osts and appartenant parts. d' 10, at their upper ends, are' secured firmly in place with reference to the uppermost insulating member`6,by screws 26, and the chain guideis similarly secured by a screw 27, which screws are counter- 42li sunk belowjthe upper surface of the insulat- .s y ing member. 'By removing thev screw 27,

the chain guide-may be slid out .of its grooves *17, 23, and may be removed without dis- ,turbing the arrangement of the other socket :.30 parts. -'With this arrangement of insulators,

`1t is apparent that the live conducting parts' of theswitch mechanism are completely and thoroughly insulated one from the'other and.

. from the metal parts of the mechanism, ex-

` 8,5 ceptvwhen in proper contacting position to carry a current.v

l The chain guide, which is illustrated 1 somewhat in detail' in Figs. 11 and 12, may

, -be of any desired form and its speciiic con- '40 struction forms no part of the present in- Vention beyond its double use of a removable 1 chain guide-and supporting post between.

- the two insulating members.

Centrally arranged in a socket 28, having 45 a central .depression and a transverse depressed portion 29, is removably supported an arbonorrspindle 30, having transverse ears 31. This fits tightly within the depres- :u-sion 28, and isfnon-rotathely held'therein' 4 50 by--the-ears andscop'erating depression 29.

`It may readily b'e removed4 when the upper insulating member is 'disconnected from the lower .ipsulatind member 5.

Connected with the threaded shell contact is aspring conducting member 32, provided with a .curved arm 33, lwhich underlies/l a .xrotary contact ratchet 34. This ratchet is provided with conductors 36, which in conjunction with 'the arm-33, anda spring-con- 62 ta'ct member 37, connected to the conducting v.post19, make the'circuit between 'said post and .the threaded shell contact 7. iTh'e arm 1 at its. forward! end is depressed and ex'- tends vvinto a'depressed recess 38, Ito'insure M5 propeffengagement of' said arm with the contact members 36, lwithout liability ofEj tripping against the point of the arm.

The contact members 36,*are of peculiar. formation and comprise lugs 39, straddling the edge ofthe `insulating ratchet 'member 34, end loc'ated fat t-h'ea'botto'rn'of certain of the ratchet-teeth, as" best 'illustrated in Figs.- 9 and 10. They are held in place by stamping or punching., the metal of the ears into perorations 40, so that. they are securely held in 1place' on the edge of the ratchet. They 'have extended conducting faces 41, which extend to the edge off" the n'ex't suc- \ceeding ratchet tooth. From this, it' is apparent that there is va conducting memberati the under side of the insulatingratchet 34,.. adjacent .to 'the baise of alternate teeth and -an extended'. Contact part reaching.A to the"- point ofthe next succeeding ratchet tooth. The result is a. `ratchet member having vplurality ofteetlnwith the alternate teeth-l forming insulated beziringsurfaces and the intermediate teeth formngconducting surfaces. This'r'aftchet' is loosely mounted' upon the spindle 3'0, `and when rotated, as .here in after dened, "its teeth. bear against-ff spring'arni 37,-'and said arm ,37, eitherre'stfs upon one of the conductors 41, or-uponone of 'the intermedia te insulated teeth. By'fthis means', the circuit between the. postf-ipand* shell..7, is made or broken. A Tl1erel .s"'a special advantage in having the '10ml-tooth conductor 41, in conjunction with tl'ie com ductor 36. The conductin portion 36, comesinto engagement with t 'ef contact arm 33, while the conducting spring?, is in engageinent with the' tooth surface and". does not break its engagement with -thelarm' 33, until after the point of. the spring' 37 hafs' dropped from the high-pointto theg'rlow point'of 'the ratchet. Thus, a. 'very quick make and break is effected between the spring contact' member 3 7, and the ratchet `i conductorswith no liability of arcing-'bf tween said ratchet conductors and the. con? ducting arm The ratchet member 34 is actuatedE-by. pawl actuator42,.wliiclr is provided Witha."K spring pawl (i3, adapted to engage the t'eethof the ratchet member 34, 'and move the;I same whenever the pull cord orchain moved. This actuator 42, is 'preferably'. formed from sheet metal' stamped, pressed?" or drawn up, with a lcentral springy barrel- 44, and achain guide lmemlnr 45,-providedf5 with asuitable chain attachmentclipjfki'. The 'guide men'iber-45,is' depentlent,from'the main planeof 'the'. -at'uator'A 42, and'. isj'o suilicient width ,to tit" nicely(I between; the openedges of theihsilating'riembers, and 6.4 'The lit'x'nay be'close'lenou'ghhto form a guide. channel sopthat there isflno liability. of' the chain'lo'r'pull cordv binding between able make and break ratchet in conjunction I do not in this case claim the tension adjusting mechanism for the electric switch, herein illustrated and described, as I have made this feature the subject of my application No. 598,579, filed December 21, 1910. Nor doI in this case claim the integral chain guide and supporting postshown in this case, as I have made that the subject-matter of my application No. 591,920, filed December 23, 1910.

`lVhat I claimas my invention and desire to secure by Letters, Patent is 1. In a device of the character described, an insulating body part having a lower and an upper section, terminals secured to the lower section, conducting posts extending therefrom, one of saidv postsconnected with one of the terminals, the other of said posts bearing a spring contact member, a contact operatively connected with the other of said terminals, a ratchet of insulating' material having ,independent conductors upon alternate teeth adapted to bear upon said contact member and engaged by the spring-contact of the conducting post, and an actuator engaging the teeth of the ratchet.

2. In a device of the character described,

The actuator 42, is loosely mounted upon the spindle 30, and overlies the ratchet 34, an insulating Washer 45', being interposed between the parts to insureinsulation. The actuator 42, is held in normal position by a spring 46, the lower end of which engages a ciip 47, upon the actuator, while the upper i y end engages' an adjusting clutch or nut 48. This adjusting nut is of tubular form split as at 49, to firmly grasp the spindle 30, and it is designed to extend into the' cupped-up spring barrel 44. It rests below the upper insulating member VG, and is provided with a slotted head 50, which extends through a central opening inthe insulator 6. The head 50, projects above a collar 51, and the opening through the insulator 6, While of suiiicient diameter for the slotted head 50, prevents the movement of the collar 51, therethrough. Thus the spindle and appartenant parts are'held in definite position between the vinsulating members 5, and 6, when the parts are in place.

It is obviousI from the above description, that the ratchet member 34, ith its conducting members 36,41, forms the make and break for the circuit between the conducting spring arm 33, and the spring arm 37, of the conducting post 9. vThe spring arm 37, is of such a form and length that it acts as a detent to prevent reverse movement of the ratchet 34, and as said spring arm 37, drops from the high point of the conductor tooth 41, or the intermediate insulating tooth of th e ratchet, there is, obviously, an instantaneous break or make of the circuit. The actuator 42, is, of course, always insulated from the conducting parts of the mechanism as it engages both the conducting teeth. and the insulating teeth at a point remote from the circuit makingand breaking elements and the conducting posts 9, and 10. The tension upon the ratchet device 34, may be varied at will by moving the clutch member 49, and consequently varying the tension of the spring 46.

From the above, it will be seen that the ratchet ormovable contact member 34, in conjunction with the conducting arm 33, and conductor spring 37, provides a most simpie and beneficial make and break device for controlling the circuit of the socket. It actually embodies a movable contact member for making and breaking the circuitl directly actuated by the step by step movement of an actuating paWl.

Obviously, the exact detaiisof the mechanism might be varied to a considerable extent Without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention, which, in addition to the feature set forth, contemplates a movdle, a ratchet member operatively mounted thereon, anactuator having' a pawl adapted toengage the teeth of the ratchet, 41n ans for moving said actuator, independent conductors extending along alternate teeth of the ratchet and extending -over the surface thereof. and a. pair of spring contact members adapted to engage the contact members of the ratchet as to the toothed portion and the surface portion.

a movable contact member embodying a ratchet and an actuator therefor, said ratchet ypendent non-conducting teetlnapawl upon the actuator 'directly engaging said teeth, means for moving the actuator. and a spring contact memberV bearing upon the periphery ofthe ratchetand forming a detent to prevent retrograde movement thereof.

4. In a device of the character described, an insulating ratchet member, an actuator having a pawl engaging the teeth of said ratchet', conductors embracing opposite sides of the ratchet and extending along alternate teeth thereof, a contact member engaging .one side of the ratchet, and a Contact member engaging the 'peripheral Vedge of theratchet and adapted vto make and break a circuit through said ratchet during the engagement of the side engaging contact member. i

5. In a. device 'of the character described, .a ratchet having a series of teeth, independent conductors iarrazrrfedv upon each alternate tooth and havingv contact Surfaces at with peripheral and surface conductors and an actuating means having la pawl actmg havinff inde )endent conductino' and indethe peripheryl of` the ratchet andcontact l an insulating body par-t, a supporting spin- 3. In a device of the character described,

gz l 1,009,565

Surfaces at one of the side faces of the ratchet, a peripheral Contact member engaging said teeth, a cooperating Contact in. engagement with the portions ofl the conductors 'at the side face of the ratchet, during the engagement and disenga `ement of the peripheral Contact member tlerewith, and

` means for actuating said ratchet.

6. In a device of the character gescribed, an insulating body part having tWo Sectlo'ns, supportlng posts lntermedlate sald sections,

means including said, posts for securing the sections together, a stud or support removably mounted in the lower section and bearinga ratchet an actuator having a puwl engaging l the teethof said ratchet, and an adwstng memberfor said actuator extendyrngf'throligh .the upper insulating member endl forming a support for the spindle,

t, CLARENCE 1). "PLAT'D V-Vitnessee: I KATE BRENNER,v WM. B. Him..` 

